While not official names, many of the California Missions have nicknames associated with them. The unofficial list is here…
- San Francisco Solano = [Unknown or None]
- San Rafael Arcángel = [Unknown or None]
- San Francisco de Asís = Mission Dolores [The Mission was located along the Dolores creek.]
- San José = [Unknown or None]
- Santa Clara de Asís = [Unknown or None]
- Santa Cruz = [Unknown or None]
- San Juan Bautista = The Mission of Music [The Mission was known for the music it produced.]
- San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo = Father of the Missions [This was the Mission headquarters for a long period.]
- Nuestra Señora de la Soledad = [Unknown or None]
- San Antonio de Padua = The Mission of the Sierras [Unknown why as this is not near any of the Sierra mountains.]
- San Miguel Arcángel = Mission on the Highway [This Mission is right alongside El Camino Real (US 101).]
- San Luis Obispo de Tolosa = Mission in the Valley of Bears [The Los Osos area nearby provided bear meat to save the Mission from starvation.]
- Santa Inés = [Unknown or None]
- La Purísima Concepción = [Unknown or None]
- Santa Bárbara = The Queen of the Missions [San Luis Rey and Santa Barbara had to be given royal nicknames for their beauty. Since Rey means King, that left Queen for Santa Barbara; a female name.]
- San Buenaventura = The Mission by the Sea [Speaks for itself; the Mission is close to the ocean.]
- San Fernando Rey de España = The Mission of the Valley [The “Valley” is the nickname for the entire area surrounding the Mission.]
- San Gabriel Arcángel = The Pride of the Missions [An important Mission in history and central to the entire development of Los Angeles.]
- San Juan Capistrano = Jewel of the Missions or Mission of the Swallow [Originally, a crown jewel in the chain of Missions and who can not know about the “Swallows of Capistrano”?]
- San Luis Rey de Francia = King of the Missions [See Santa Barbara.]
- San Diego de Alcalá = Mother of the Alta California Missions [The first Alta California Mission deserves this name.]